At 12 am on June 28th, Dom Kennedy gave us another great piece of work coming From The Westside with Love, for the second time. I’m not sure about anyone else, but up until today I was still playing the first installment of From The Westside with Love like it just dropped. Though Dom hadn’t come across my radar until “Best After Bobby” in August 2009, It’s clear that he has grown so much since his first first release in March of 2008, “25th hour”. I did as any fan of a new artists music would and went back to do my research. I was sold. I eagerly waited for the release of “From The Westside with Love” back in March of 2010 like a little kid waiting to get a new bike on Christmas. It was as great as I thought it would be, hence why I said I still bump it like it dropped yesterday. Then today came along, and we got the sequel. Now let me say, I had heard nothing but great things about this project from friends who attended his listening session in LA that I was seriously upset I couldn’t attend. Shouts to my JBC fam for putting together from what it seemed to be an amazing night! So already having high expectations, hoping this sequel would top the first, I entered the westside.

The album sets off with “Dom’s Prayer” – another great pick for track #1 just like “In Memory Of”. I actually feel like both of those tracks compliment each other so I wonder if Dom did that on purpose. The track has a smooth, bass bumping beat, with Dom just hitting us with raps like … I’m here, doing this rap shit, waddup? Then, correct me If I’m wrong, B.J. The Chicago Kid comes through at end the track to bless us with his voice. After hitting us with his prayer, it’s time to bounce to the Cardo on the beat produced track, “Grindin”. When he dropped this track at the beginning of the month everyone on my twitter timeline was saying “answer the phone when a real nigga call…” – instant quote-able! Flowing right into track number 3, “When I Come Around” literally made me start dancing in my house, and want to go to a pool party in LA. Perfect summertime jam! I think just off me being about 10 seconds into the song and already like “OH SHIT!”, I knew this album was From The Westside with Love, on steroids! This is what you call a sequel indeed…

The album provides a great variety of tracks too! For example, track 4 “Come Over” is definitely more for us ladies, track 5 “She Aint In Love” is Dom doing what he does, and just straight rapping. It’s a track that all loyal Dom fans will appreciate and rock with. “Money Don’t Stop” is so westcoast, like damn. haha. From the minute the beat started, I felt like my mind was taken to the left coast. “Lets sit back and count this money// lets sit back and count this dough// cause the money don’t stop ya know, ya know..” Great beat, catchy hook, dope.

Already providing us with good choice of variety 6 songs in, track 7, “O.P.M.”, comes along and this one is just a straight up “feel good” track. A dedication to his company, O.P.M., Dom K makes us love “spending other peoples mon-ayyyy”, I had too haha. This jawn goes. “Platinum Chanel” is like the stunt song of the project. Like oh word? Platinum Chanel huh? haha it’s a hot track though, he might have lyrically assassinated that one. “I Love Dom” is just another solid track. Venturing into “The Ways”, this is for sure one of my favorites on the project. I need to know whom that is on the chorus and word to him shouting out the girls that are 5’2! I love the beat, and most of all his rhymes. Now I might be getting to into detail about each song, but that’s just how much I enjoy this project. He then gives us yet another intermission like he did on part 1. I mean, what would the sequel be like without an intermission including go-to guy Polyester of course!? I’m already sold more than half way through the project. “Ice Cream Truck” needs an old school visual, ice cream truck and all, just saying. *Looks to Danny*

By this time, I was anxiously waiting to get to the tracks with the features which are all back to back. We’ve got Asher Roth and Sir Michael Rocks up first on “New Jeeps”. The beat sounds like something you’d here at a rap battle in the middle of the New York streets. Let’s just say that all three of them do the track justice. Then we have “2mph” with Big K.R.I.T. – a more slowed down beat, great choice for K.R.I.T.’s southern comfort. Lastly, there’s “Beats, Hoes and Rhymes” featuring Casey Veggies and ScHoolboy Q. We all already know how well Dom and Casey collab together, “CDC” being a fan favorite, so it was nice to see him on this album. ScHoolboy Q is just plain dope, so he’s like the icing on the cake for this track.

We’re coming to an end of our trip to the westside as there’s only two more songs left. “Dream To Me” & “Graduate”. Both are very laid back, but “Graduate” is for sure another stand out. With production by HellaGood, no other track could be the closer but this one. I felt like this track was Dom’s dedication to Los Angeles, which compliments his artwork. “..a helicopter every night, cant dream out here// damn it feel good to say I did my thing out here..”

In conclusion, “From The Westside with Love ll” lived up to the hype and was a great body of work. I feel we hit no speed bumps and this is a project that will refrain you from hitting the skip button. Dom Kennedy fans will certainly enjoy this and for the new fans whom are just getting hip, this is great project to start off your journey to the westside. Again, there is such good variety throughout the whole thing, it will make you feel good, jam out, and even want to dance. Dom has given us so much quality music for free over the past few years so in return, I hope you all support and purchase From The Westside with Love ll on iTunes for only $6.99 – Support the culture and the movement. Salute to Dom, Archy, and the whole JBC – It’s been a blessing to know you all and be apart of the movement.

RATING: 5 out 5